Schwintec Slide problems!!!!!

[VCToyhauler]

Found out myself recently.. insurance doesn't cover water damage unless the leak was caused by an accident.

[xhogboss]

Originally Posted by hddecker

First thing that Thor needs to do is hire someone that knows what the correct torque value is for the fasteners being used, then train the assembly workers how to use a torque driver.

I gave up counting the number of screws that are nothing but the head and a few threads that grab. On the other side of the coin are the screws that are left loose.

Totally agree - two cases in point ...

Pulled into a park in Colorado and wife began extending kitchen slide on our V3605. We heard and felt a strong 'shuddering' sound from the front of the slide. Checked outside while she tried it again; the whole wall in front of the slide was vibrating in and out. Investigation revealed ten (10!) of the screws holding the aluminum slide out frame in were broken off. The only thing, for the most part, holding the slide mechanism in was the caulk. Nothing to do but drill the exterior frame and add screws near the broken ones and caulk the old holes.

Just today, after reading about water intrusion on the slides, I checked the floor of the wardrobe slide and noticed the frame was separating from the floor; six (6!) of the eleven screws securing the floor to the exterior bottom frame were broken off. More caulk, drill and add screws. Good news is there was no evidence of water intrusion.



I anticipate that I will continue to find broken screws when I give the rig a thorough tune-up shortly.

[calewjohnson]

Xhogboss,

I spent a good weekend last year working the bottom of my wardrobe slide. I went to Fastenall and bought a box of screws the same length, but I size larger. I pulled out what I could, but drilled a lot of new holes, then sealed everything really well. So far, no problems with that slide.

Now, my big slide with the couch is another story. One side works great, but the other side had a bunch of screws popped and the wall flexes enough to allow the teeth to skip during operation. I have removed, drilled, put in the same screws I installed under the wardrobe. Winter set in, so I stopped working it. As we live in it full time, I have not pressed the issue of troubleshooting, as I do not want to have it stuck part or all the way in during the winter.

I am going to reattach in the spring.

Cale

[xhogboss]

Cale,
I think I caught the kitchen slide just before the skipping set in. It had been 'repaired' at CW under warranty because one side was not in sync with the other. Pretty obvious they reused the screws and I suspect they broke a few along the way. The slide still extends maybe 3/8" too far - it flexes the inside trim, but I'm waiting for someplace where I know it will be dry and warm to fix that.

[Alsdas88]

Originally Posted by DesertRat

And then there are us that haven't had any slide issues. Are we the silent majority.

Glad to hear you are not having any issues with yours DR. I have been monitoring the forums here and am still on the fence as to whether or not plunge into a V3605 or slightly larger unit.
Didn't make it to Quartzite this year, but hope to get to the San Diego RV show later this week.

[nonsense]

I just fell victim to this issue. We have a 3818 was a year old in mid august, pulled the camper out three weeks ago and had trouble with the bedroom slide, dealer states floor is swollen! fix is 4600.00 no good faith fix here, going back together with marine grade plywood this time. Very disappointed in both the dealer and Dutchmen, both lack the care and concern in the customer retention department.

[ATCguy]

You know, I'm sitting here reading this thread again... and one thing keeps coming to light:

The problems aren't with the Schwintek system!

Now I'm not really trying to defend it. Some like it, others curse it. But the fact that you have a Schwintek slide seems to be irrelevant in almost every case I've read. The problems seem to be water intrusion, and/or questionable installation issues (non parallel tracks, broken screws to hold the tracks, etc.)

I could be wrong (it happens occasionally. ), but I think I've only seen one issue on this board where the controller itself crapped out, and another issue where a motor died. That's it.

For those who are having, or have had problems... I truly feel your frustration. I'd be livid if I lost my rig for an extended period of time, and had to shell out big bucks for repair.

But to keep calling these "Schwintek problems", I think is a misnomer. Just my 2-cents worth...

[nonsense]

ATCguy,

I agree with you, as like most things I believe nothing is perfect.. However I do tend to believe that most of the issues concerning "Schwintek" is due to poor manufacturing, it appears to me that the system works as designed when all tolerances are met. It seems Dutchmen has a super hard time working within spec. Although most of us already know this! My issue was simply due to the lack of silicone on the trim on the small slide. I am to blame for not inspecting and fixing in an appropriate manner.

[sundancer 87]

We do, as a society, place the blame for failures on the brand name and not the process.
Let's say Schwintek did engineer and design the system. However, they didn't process the 'aircraft aluminum' nor did they make the screws that hold the system in place. They didn't manufacture the motors nor the wire in the motor nor the gears nor the electronic modules and its components.
The name gets the blame in the end just like one TV is worse or better than the other but the fact remains the components are mostly all the same. Same as with automobiles, a part is weak but the name of the auto is blackened.
Brand names suffer because of the adjunct equipment that supports it. It's too bad a brand name gets a bad rap because of failures of materials and processes used in the manufacturing of said brand.

[mikesnider]

Agree 100% ATCguy and others.

IMHO, I think the Schwintek slide problem is really a "water leaking somewhere into the slide, and finding its way to the slide floor outer edge, causing it to swell, and stressing the slide motor, to the point of failure" issue. (Sure, low system tolerances and reliance on quality manufacturing comes into play, too. But I don’t want to get too far off track from the obvious water intrusion issue here). And dang it all, I'm still trying to learn exactly how water is reaching the slide floor.

When my bedroom slide is closed, the floor board stays dry. That says water can't be leaking in thru the outer facia trim. (right?). The facia trim caulk has split, but I think as a result of the floor (to which it’s attached) has swelled up from wicked-in water from another entry point. Comments have also been made about the slide rail needing plugs at their open ends to block water entry (which then travels to the outer end where it then reaches the osb floor edge). But I'm confused by that because my slide rail ends are not exposed to the open air. If so, does it mean water is finding a way behind the slide wiper seals? That is something I've yet to validate, and now my priority to chase up this Spring.

Here's a great video summary of the leak problem (read: mystery) posted by Larry710 a few days ago:

http://www.dutchmenowners.org/forums/f20/help-leak-video-4106.html

It's exactly what I'm also trying to figure out. Hopefully some guidance from fellow Volty fans on this excellent forum can help expedite solving that mystery. Thanks all.

[sundancer 87]

Mike, I've had two trips to a dealer for slide problems not associated with water intrusion. Both trips were for the large living room slide where very little mention has been made to water intrusion.
While water intrusion is a problem with the bedroom slides not so much with the big slides.
The facia trim piece on my bedroom slide dropped a good 1/4 inch within a year. The floor appears to be in good shape so I cleaned and caulked the 'new' edge. So far it seems to be fine. I will admit though I haven't operated the slides in over a year. The last return trip from the dealer for repairs I moved the hauler once to its new location. Slides went out and I went to work remodeling the little house I bought. I won't even chance operating the slides until I am fully moved into the house and no longer rely on the slides to work correctly.
We'll see in a week or two how well the repairs were effected 15 months ago.

[mikesnider]

Good point Sundancer... my only slide problem has been with the (smaller) bedroom slide. And definitely water intrusion related. Oddly enough (and thankfully), I have had zero problems with my main or kitchen slides, two that are much bigger and heavier than the bedroom and motored by the same Schwintek components. So that has to say something positive about the Schwintek system... and maybe even the assembly line crew in my unit's build. Yes, I have read about others having main and kitchen slide issues, with culprits pointing to alignment/installation/etc of the slide/components, sometimes void of any water intrusion. Thanks for clarifying that.

[calewjohnson]

When I got our 3950, I clean/caulked the slides...the only slide giving me fits is the living room slide. The shoe broke and slides freely in the track, thus allowing the wall rail to slightly flex. I had a recent email exchange with Lippert, they sent me the instructions and said a repair facility should be able to quickly change the upper bearing block and shoe....re-time the system, then go about my way. I hope this is all true...

If installed correctly, I would be happy with Schwintek...my next desire would have been hydraulic slides.

Cale

[bennett]

Originally Posted by calewjohnson

When I got our 3950, I clean/caulked the slides...the only slide giving me fits is the living room slide. The shoe broke and slides freely in the track, thus allowing the wall rail to slightly flex. I had a recent email exchange with Lippert, they sent me the instructions and said a repair facility should be able to quickly change the upper bearing block and shoe....re-time the system, then go about my way. I hope this is all true...

If installed correctly, I would be happy with Schwintek...my next desire would have been hydraulic slides.

Cale

I just made an appointment to bring ours in for the exact same thing.

[calewjohnson]

Originally Posted by bennett

I just made an appointment to bring ours in for the exact same thing.

Let me know how the repair goes...how long it takes to get the part and how long to fix.

Thanks

Cale

[bennett]

Originally Posted by calewjohnson

Let me know how the repair goes...how long it takes to get the part and how long to fix.

Thanks

Cale

Will do, it goes in on the 14th. I don't use the dealer for repairs. A friend of mine owns an RV repair facility and he does great work. i can't use the Dutchmen warranty but he does take my extended warranty from Good Sam.

Bill

[calewjohnson]

Originally Posted by bennett

Will do, it goes in on the 14th. I don't use the dealer for repairs. A friend of mine owns an RV repair facility and he does great work. i can't use the Dutchmen warranty but he does take my extended warranty from Good Sam.

Bill

Are you in NC or CA? If in FT Bragg, I may have to schedule a trip down to you/your buddy. Finding respectable/knowledgeable folks for RV work is a difficult chore at best.

Cale

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by calewjohnson

Are you in NC or CA? If in FT Bragg, I may have to schedule a trip down to you/your buddy. Finding respectable/knowledgeable folks for RV work is a difficult chore at best.

Cale

His profile shows Fort Bragg, CA

I live on the north side of Fort Bragg, NC. I am not aware of any decent independents repair centers in this area. All we have are CW's. There is one guy that is an Airstream specialist that I can highly recommend. But that is all he does.

Aaron

[calewjohnson]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

His profile shows Fort Bragg, CA

I live on the north side of Fort Bragg, NC. I am not aware of any decent independents repair centers in this area. All we have are CW's. There is one guy that is an Airstream specialist that I can highly recommend. But that is all he does.

Aaron

I saw the CA, hence the question. I know when I moved last year, it was still showing CA for some period before it finally showed MD.

One can always hope...

If what he does fixes the problem, I may see if he can order the parts for me. Talking to folks here, I get a weird look, as no one understands these slides. The two dealers near us have hydraulics, cables, or rack/pinion (I think that is what they are) actuated slides.

Cale

[bennett]

Fort Bragg in CA.

The living room slide has always been grumpy. In fact, the day we first picked it up, we walk inside and they are replacing both motors on it. Then, late last year, it quit working altogether and it turned out the wiring harness had worked its way over to the gear mechanism and shredded it. That was fixed, it worked fine for a few months and now when using the slide, one motor is always slower than the other. I have to either push one side when going out to help it, or pull the opposite side when bringing it in. Like Cale's, I have a shoe floating in the top track.